Franklin Field is the place and you better get there early if the weather is nice on Saturday.
The Schedule
Thursday, April 23rd, 10 a.m. to 10:55 p.m.
High school girls, college men and women, nighttime distance races, and Olympic Development events.
Friday, April 24th, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Middle school boys and girls, high school boys and girls, college men and women, masters men, Special Olympics and Olympic Development events.
Saturday, April 25th, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
High school boys and girls, masters men and women, college men and women, Olympic Development events and USA vs. the World races.
How to Get There
The competition takes place on Franklin Field,33rd Street between Walnut and South Sts. It’s easily accessible by SEPTA bus, trolley and rail. Take the Green Line to 36th and Sansom Street or to 37th and Spruce Street, or take the Market-Frankford Line to 34th and Market Street. To avoid the annoyances of parking, public transportation is recommended.
Tickets
On Thursday and Friday, ticket prices range from $18 to $24, depending on where you sit. On Saturday, tickets range between $40 and $70. Reserve your ticket here.
The Penn Relays History
Organizers first began kicking around ideas for a relay event in 1893, when the University Track Committee began looking for ways to increase interest in the spring meet. They came up with the notion of a relay, in which four men would each run a quarter mile in succession. Two years later, the first Penn Relays were held on April 21, 1895. A team from Princeton came down to Philadelphia to try it out; they narrowly beat Penn, and the competition was so enjoyable for the teams that they participated again the following year, with Penn taking the win.
By that time, enough teams had expressed interest that Penn decided make it an annual event, extending invites to both colleges and prep schools. Although the rules and events have significantly changed since that first meet—women have been added into the mix, for example, and Franklin Field has undergone serious renovations—the basis for the Penn Relays has remained consistent: an intense love for running and friendly competition.
